Whether the world is really ending—or whether you're just having a busy week—these six make-ahead meals from cookbook author Lidia Bastianich freeze well and feed many.

By Lynn Andriani

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

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The Baked Pasta Dish That's Not Mac 'n' Cheese

Italian-American cookbook author Lidia Bastianich, whose latest book is Lidia's Favorite Recipes, says a bubbling casserole of shell-shaped pasta stuffed with ricotta is something everyone in her family, from kids to grandmothers, loves. If you're going to make the dish ahead of time, place four to six shells in each container, ladle sauce over them and seal. They'll keep in the freezer for up to two months.